


The Martins

by inheritanceofgeek



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: But with a different name, F/M, FORGET THE PUB, Gen, I don't know how to tag this, It's just them in a pub talking through what Martin should do, Pre-Zurich, Pub Talks, The pub is based off of the one near me, and in a different place, with different clientele
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-15
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-03-01 16:05:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2779283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inheritanceofgeek/pseuds/inheritanceofgeek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martin and Martin meet up every month or so for a drink and a chat about the dames and the horses. They even talk about their feelings, though that information is never allowed to leave their table.</p><p>This week, Martin talks to Martin about what he would do if he got a job filming in New Zealand and had to leave his wife and kids but would also end up being closer to his girlfriend.</p><p>This has nothing to do with his interview with Swiss Air. At all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Martins

**Author's Note:**

> I really liked the idea of Little Martin and Paramount Martin seeing each other in the pub on a semi-regular basis, and I thought it likely that Martin would go to Martin for advice, considering he wasn't a swerve sarcastic sky-god (even though he looked like one) and actually had some good relationship advice to give, considering he's currently got a wife and two kids, who are probably all from his first and only marriage.

Once every month or so, the Martins would meet up for a drink and a chat. They’d buy mediocre fish and chips at the Codfather, and then take them into The Two Doves where they’d try to assert their masculine ways by ordering two pints of the house ale, before sitting at the table in the back and talk about their lives. Martin Davenport (NOT Paramount Martin) would rave about films and plays he’d seen and excitedly talk about auditions he was going to or else gaze into his pint glass and talk forlornly about how he didn’t get the job. In turn Martin Crieff ( _Captain_ Martin Crieff) would talk excitedly about his various landings and take offs, but also talk openly about his worries that he would never be as good a pilot as Douglass, how he’d never be able to make a wage from his dream job- but maybe that was just the price for being allowed to fly planes.

The Martins found that they were the only people who understood each other properly. They weren’t bosom buddies. They weren’t going to go on holidays together or be Godfather to each other's children. But they understood one another in a way the people around them just couldn’t seem to grasp. Indeed, they soon became each other’s official Shoulder To Cry On. They had the right amount of distance between the to be able to open up, knowing that the information would not go beyond their little table at the back.

 

*

“Martin.”

“Yes Martin?” The two of them grinned. The novelty of that hadn’t quite worn off yet and it somehow helped to chip away any awkwardness between them at the start of the evening.

“What, what would you do if, if you were allowed to go and be in a, in a big movie. Like, like” the Captain searched his mind for something he thought grand and adventurous enough “something like the hobbit. And, and you weren’t the star but you were in it like, like a recurring character, the fat dwarf or something”

“Bombur you mean?” Davenport smile apologetically “Sorry, Alan’s really into all that lord of the rings stuff, it kind of rubs off on you”

“Yeah. Okay, yeah so, anyway, you get to be Bombur, but if you get to play that role in the massive movie, which pays lots of money and better benefits and more flexible hours- but you have to leave your family behind for good, what would you do?”

Davenport frowned “Why would I have to leave them for good?”

“Well. You’d be in New Zealand, wouldn’t you? You, you can’t see them if you live in a different country.”

 

“Yes, but there’s Skype and Email and they’d be able to come and visit in the holidays, I’m sure Susan would understand. And the kids would make me go! Seeing their Dad in a movie like that? They’d never forgive me if I turned it down!”

“Right well, what if, if you went, they wouldn't be able to function anymore.”

“My family? What, as in, die of a lonely heart? I’m sure that wouldn't happen Martin. Life’s not some sort of disney movie. God if I hear ‘Let It Go’ one more time….”

“Well okay, but but, they’d be homeless and jobless and they wouldn’t be able to be together anymore and you’d miss them all; would you go?”

“Martin, I don’t think any of this is likely, Susan and I”

“BUT JUST SAY IF IT WAS!!!” Cried Martin, wringing his hands in frustration “What would you do! Would you let your family suffer, and not follow your dream job, or would you go to New Zealand and achieve your dream?”

“Well.” Said Davenport after a careful sip of his drink “I’d do what was best for my family I guess, but they’d never forgive me if I didn’t go.”

“Yes but you wouldn't tell them that you’d got the job, so that wouldn't matter.”

Davenport chuckled “Susan would find out. She knows everything. Nothing gets past her. Plus, secrets I'm a marriage tend not to turn out that well. Learnt that one from my parents. How’s that Princess of yours by the way? Can I expect an invitation to a Royal Wedding any time soon?”

Martin blushed beetroot red “No! No No No! Definitely not!! We’re not, we’ve been on 3 dates and she’s not ‘my princess’ she’s a princess. We’re not even, she and I aren’t” the more flustered he got the redder he became, and the more red he became the more flustered he got. It was like watching a tomato growing in fast frame.

“3 dates when she lives in a different country is pretty good going Martin. I think she’s at least your girlfriend by now.” He winked “Yes. Well. That may be but... there’s no wedding bells in the horizon so just stop. Goodness you’re almost as bad as Douglass! He keeps asking for the gory details and I’m not going to be telling him anything like that am I? He’d only use it against me.”

“Yeah, but, I wouldn't.”

“Yes you would.”

“Not in the same way Douglass would!”

“It’s private Martin!”

“Oh go on Martin, you can tell me Martin.”

The Captain rolled his eyes “There’s nothing to tell.” He said, holding his head high. “I am the perfect gentlemen. Nothing, funny has ever happened. Not like,” he gulped, somehow managing to turn even redder “not like in the way you’re thinking of, I haven’t well. I’ve only had 3 other Girlfriends and that was a long time ago now so”

“Yeah. I think we’re crossing the line a bit on our friendship here, but you know. I don’t want the actual gory details but you two have, you know, kissed and stuff?” He felt like an 8 year-old as a sleepover, but, hey, if one of his friends had snogged royalty, he had to know!

“We, um. We did, er, briefly, at the airport when we said goodbye…”

Davenport grinned “I think that certainly constitutes a girlfriend Martin.”

“Oh, shut up!” He huffed and took a swig of his ale “Oh, but um, that’s a good point um, so, what if, you taking the job in New Zealand also meant that you could be closer to your girlfriend?”

“Martin, I’m married, my girlfriend is my family.”

“Ok but say she wasn’t. Say she was your girlfriend and she lived in Australia and you could see her more regularly than before and maybe she would become your girlfriend then but she might not now because, you know, you’re in England and she’s in Licht- I mean Australia.”

“Martin. What’s this really about?”

“Nothing! It’s just a fun ‘what if?’ Pub game! Like blokes do in pubs!”

“Is this about that job interview you were going for? The one with Air Finland or whatever”

“Swiss Air” he responded gloomily. A grin began to slowly spread across his face “They gave me the job there and then on the spot! They thought I’d cheated on their exam because I got 99% but then they misread my seven as a one and it was 100%! So they asked me to come to see how I cheated and the head of the company was there and he kept ordering muffins and the interview was terrible but then Captain Derrrogacerv was Douglass even if she was wearing a red dress I’d still think she was Douglass and I had to say no to her and I did! So they gave me the job because I was forceful and knew all their general knowledge questions!” He was positively jumping up and down now “And it’s for a proper Airline Martin, not an Air Dot! And I’d be earning proper money so as I could move out of that grotty little attic!”

“I can sense a but coming”

“But” sighed Martin “If I go to Swiss Air, MJN would fold. Carolyn can’t find another pilot who would work for free, and she’s already in so much debt. I’d never have got the chance to do half the things I’ve done without MJN Air! I mean they’re crazy, they drive me up the wall and I spend half the time worrying we’re all going to die, but, you know. It’s all been such good fun! We’ve been all over the world, to places I didn’t even know existed! We’ve been swindled by Frenchmen only to get our revenge with the help of the Scottish Cricket Team wearing only their swimming trunks, done all of Christmas is 7 minutes flat and even attempted to solve a civil war in order to fly a drunk posh Welshman to watch the rugby! We’ve flown wildlife photographers, celebrities, musicians, royalty and even horse- um, well, er- the stuff which makes other horses. That’s not actually a very good example erm, pretend I didn’t say that…”

“You flew horse Spe-”

“We’ve done a lot of things!” He cut in front of Davenport – he didn't want reminding of that trip with it's Godawful sunset and Arthur’s painful attempt at Charades. “I just don’t think I’d have nearly as much fun with Swiss Air…”

“But you’d have more free time? More money?” “Well, yeah. I would, actually.”

“So you could just find other things you enjoy. Isn’t Zurich not that far from Lichtenstein? I’m sure the attractions there are very nice indeed. Ow!” Martin had kicked him under the table “I just meant, being nearer Theresa would be a benefit! You wouldn't be giving up MJN so much as being closer to the girl of your dreams”

“She’s not the girl of my- that’s not the. Shut up.” “Sorry Martin, but you know what I mean.”

“Yeah. No. I. What should I do Martin?” Davenport sighed

“Well, at the end of the day, it’s your choice. Either way, you’re not going to be burning any bridges with the ones you care about. You’ll keep in contact with Douglass and Arthur I’m sure, and Theresa will be near by for you to see more of, no pun intended.”

“But if I go then they’ll all be out of a job- it wouldn't be fair on them…”

“Martin. Listen to me. You have to make your own choice. It’s your life Martin. You’ve just got to decide what is going to make you happier, MJN or Swiss Air?” The captain let out a whine and banged his head against the table.

“Want another drink Captain?” Asked the actor.

The lump on the table nodded

“Passionfruit Cider?”

Another nod.

“All right then. Back in a minute and we can talk about something else. But Martin, seriously. You can’t make them wait forever. It’s not fair. You have to let them know soon, or else your choice will be made for you and it probably won’t be the one you want.”

Captain Crieff stared forlornly at the table and it's many rings of water and burns from cigarette. A decision was all well and good to talk about, but actually making them? Well. He’d have better luck persuading Carolyn to be polite to non-paying customers. Still. He didn’t have to accept the offer until the 23rd. By then, he’d know. He’d know what to do for sure! Wouldn't he?


End file.
